Policy

It is the policy of the Board of Law Examiners of the State of North Carolina to administer the bar examination in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, and to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified disabled applicants including persons with learning disabilities and persons with health impairments. The bar examination will be administered to all qualified eligible applicants in a manner that does not discriminate against those applicants with disabilities.

Persons needing special accommodations on examinations should make written request to the Board to obtain the necessary information, procedures and written forms. Appropriate current documentation is required by the Board with each petition submitted.

Upon written petition to the Board, the manner in which the examination is administered to an applicant may be modified, provided such modifications do not result in a fundamental alteration to the examination or other admission requirements, impose an undue burden, or jeopardize the security or integrity of the examination.

An applicant must submit a written request for special testing accommodations on forms prescribed by the Board no later than the first Tuesday in December for the February examination and the first Tuesday in May for the July examination. Relief from the filing deadline may be granted for good cause which shall be shown by proof of a substantial and material change in the applicant’s condition from the condition that the applicant possessed prior to the deadlines set out above.

Requests for test accommodations will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants must submit a current medical evaluation prepared by a licensed professional qualified to diagnose such disability, which provides information on the diagnosed disability or impairment, the applicant’s current level of impairment, and the rationale for the accommodations requested on the bar examination. The Board may have this medical verification reviewed by a licensed professional retained by the Board to verify the nature and extent of any disability or impairment.

In addition to the medical evaluation, the Board may require the applicant to provide additional information in support of applicant’s request. This information may include but is not limited to information concerning special accommodations provided during the applicant’s high school, undergraduate and law school education and certification from official representatives of the school(s) where such accommodations were provided.

Accommodations granted elsewhere do not necessarily entitle an applicant to accommodations on the bar examination, although considerable weight is given to documentation relating to past accommodations received in similar testing situations or in response to an IEP or Section 504 plan.


The Board may rely upon the opinion of the licensed professional(s) retained or designated by the Board in determining whether and/or to what extent to grant the applicant’s request.